Desi Arnaz Biography

Desi Arnaz
Real Name:Desiderio Alberto Arnaz y de Acha III
Date of Birth:Friday, March 2, 1917
Date of Death:Tuesday, December 2, 1986
Biography:Desi Arnaz was born in Santiago, Cuba in 1917. As a teenager he had everything you could imagine he had boats, horses, cars, 3 houses, and more stuff. Then one day in 1934 a revolution erupted thus destroying everything the Arnaz family had in their possesion. In the summer of 1934 Desi’s father was being held in Miami but then released because he was believed to be neutral during the revolution. Desi moved to Miami shortly after. Mrs. Arnaz would move to Miami when Desi and his father had saved enough money for her.

In 1936 Desi was spotted by Xavier Cugat and then hired at a salary of 35$ a week. In 1937 after only a year Desi quit and formed his own band. The Desi Arnaz band debuted on December 30, 1937. In 1939 Desi was signed to be in the Lorenz-Hart play “Too Many Girls.” In 1940 RKO brought Desi out to Hollywood to reprise his role in “Too Many Girls.” This is where Desi met Lucille Ball. They had a brief courtship, and were married on November 30, 1940. In 1943 Desi was drafted into the army. During a army baseball game he dislocated a kneecap and had to work in a army hosptial entertaining the troops which was located in Birmingham, California which was not far from Lucy and his ranch. In 1945 he was released from the army and continued his band engagements around the country. In 1949 Desi and Lucy remarried. In 1950 CBS asked Desi to host a radio musical variety show. In 1951 Lucy and Desi made a pilot which would later become the most popular television show ever; “I Love Lucy” The “I Love Lucy” show pilot sold and it debuted on October 15 1951. “I Love Lucy” ran till 1957 when Desi decided to make hour long Lucy’s. In 1957, “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour” debuted. It went till 1960 when Lucy & Desi divorced because of personal problems. In 1963 Desi married Edith Mack Hirsch. In 1974 he wrote his autobiography and entitled it “A Book.” In 1985 Edith died of cancer. Early in 1986 Desi was diagnosed with lung cancer. On December 2, 1986 Desi passed away. He was 69.
Chinese Year: Snake
Zodiac: Pisces